National park ranger dies while patrolling America's tallest peak
The national park draws roughly 600,000 visitors each year, primarily during late May to early September, according to the park service.
FILE: Wintry scene: August snow in Alaska’s Denali National Park
August snow turns Alaska’s Denali National Park into a winter wonderland on August 9. (Video: Riley Johnson via Storyful)
MOUNT MCKINLEY, Alaska — A National Park Service employee has died while patrolling Mount McKinley in Alaska on Thursday afternoon.
Officials said an employee on climbing patrol died around 2 p.m. after falling into a crevasse near 14,000 Foot Camp atop the mountain.
Denali (also known as Mount McKinley, its former official name) is the highest mountain in North America at 20,310ft. Located in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA.
The ranger, identified as Robin Pendery of Enumclaw, Washington, was a seasonal mountaineering ranger. She first joined the Denali mountaineering staff in 2024, where she supported climber safety, emergency response and mountaineering operations on North America's highest peak.
The National Park Service said they immediately responded to the incident but despite rescue efforts, the employee did not survive.
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"We are heartbroken by the loss of a member of our Denali family," Superintendent Brooke Merrell said in a statement. "Our mountaineering rangers dedicate themselves to serving visitors and helping others in one of the most challenging environments in the world. Today, we mourn the loss of a valued colleague, friend and teammate. Our thoughts are with Robin’s family and loved ones."
Denali as seen from Reflection Pond in Denali National Park, Alaska. (Drew Green / Getty Images)
The incident is under investigation. No additional information was immediately available.
Pendery’s death at Mount McKinley comes just one week after a separate disaster claimed the lives of three Latvian climbers.
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During that incident, four members of a seven-person expedition plummeted near Denali Pass. It's known as one of the most hazardous stretches of the mountain, according to FOX News Digital.
Three climbers — Inese Puceka, Vija Olte and Renars Kunigs-Salaks — died in the fall, while a fourth survived with critical injuries.
Alaska Landscape (mantaphoto / Getty Images)
The National Park Service said they are focused on supporting the employee's family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.
Mount McKinley is part of Denali National Park and Preserve. It is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet above sea level.
Spectacular view of Alaska's Mt. McKinley, (also known as Denali), the tallest mountain in North America. (eezsnow / Getty Images)
The national park draws roughly 600,000 visitors each year, primarily during late May to early September, according to the park service.
Only about 1,000 to 1,200 climbers try to summit the mountain each year, and fewer than half of those who made the attempt last year successfully reached the top.
It is also the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak on land, measuring 18,000 feet.